Readus Nabbed: Memphis Man Convicted in Multi-State Robbery Spree

MEMPHIS, TN – Randy Readus, 36, is facing serious time after a federal jury found him guilty on multiple counts related to a brazen string of armed robberies that stretched across three states. The verdict, announced today by United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz, culminates a six-day trial detailing Readus’s role as the getaway driver in a spree targeting Walmart and Kroger stores.

Prosecutors laid out evidence showing that between December 2020 and January 2021, Readus teamed up with co-defendant Julius Black to hit businesses in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The operation kicked off with a particularly cold-hearted heist on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2020. Readus drove Black from Memphis to Marion, Arkansas, in a black Escalade. Black then allegedly stormed a Walmart Money Center, brandishing a firearm and making off with a substantial amount of cash while Readus waited nearby.

The duo continued their criminal enterprise, hitting the Walmart on Industrial Park Drive in Trumann, Arkansas on December 26, 2020. They then crossed state lines, robbing the Walmart on Mackie Drive in Holly Springs, Mississippi, on January 6, 2021. Two days later, January 8, 2021, they targeted a Kroger on Highway 64 in Memphis, Tennessee. The pattern was consistent: Black would enter the store, often targeting the customer service or finance areas, while Readus remained with the vehicle. Another Kroger on Poplar Avenue in Memphis was hit on December 31, 2021, with Black forcibly taking money after jumping the customer service desk and entering the finance room.

Not every attempt was successful. On January 8, 2021, the pair attempted to rob a Kroger on Highway 70 in Arlington, Tennessee, but were unsuccessful. However, their luck finally ran out on January 12, 2021, while attempting to rob a Walmart in New Albany, Mississippi. The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force moved in, apprehending both Readus and Black as they tried to flee in the Escalade. Officers disabled the vehicle during the pursuit, effectively ending the chase.

Julius Black had already pled guilty on April 5, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 7, 2023. Randy Readus now awaits his fate, with sentencing set for June 13, 2023, before United States District Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr. Readus was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery, two counts of aiding and abetting robbery, one count of aiding and abetting attempted robbery, and one count of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

U.S. Attorney Ritz praised the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Karen Hartridge and Greg Wagner, as well as the dedication of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. The investigation underscores the ongoing commitment of federal authorities to dismantle organized criminal networks and bring perpetrators to justice. For more information, contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov.